THREE:
Barriers to external communication for incarcerated loved ones affect more than 549,100 individuals incarcerated in jail and over 1.2 million incarcerated in prison yearly in the United States. Loved ones, particularly family members, are often forced to pay exorbitant prices for various communication services lest they lose contact with those behind bars. A 2018 report published by FWD.us estimated that 1 in 2 adults has had an immediate family member incarcerated for at least one night. Approximately 1 in 4 US adults have had a sibling incarcerated, 1 in 5 adults experienced parental incarceration, 1 in 7 adults have had an incarcerated spouse or co-parent, and 1 in 8 adults had their child incarcerated. The financial costs of maintaining contact with incarcerated individuals far outstrip what one would pay to communicate with a non-incarcerated person. For example, according to the Prison Policy Initiative’s annual prison and jail phone rate surveys, a 15-minute in-state prison phone call in 2021 cost an average of $0.15 to $2.10, depending on the state. Depending on the locality, an in-state phone call from jail costs an average of $0.93 to $5.47 per 15-minute call. Video visitation is a new option for communication, allowing visits to occur from external locations. In some jurisdictions, video visits can take place anywhere with a computer and webcam if scheduled in advance with an approved visitor. The costs can be far higher than phone call rates, with a 30-minute video call costing $9.95 in some jurisdictions. Though there are significant benefits—convenience, improved access to loved ones, and reduced recidivism—visitors often report that video calls are impersonal, low-quality, and subject to technology problems that may cut visits short.
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Arguelles, P. and Ortiz-Luis, I. (2021) Bars behind bars: digital technology in the prison system. SSRN. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3812046
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Charles, P., Poehlmann, J., Kerr, M., Jensen, S., and Pritzl, K. (2023) Supported remote video visits for children with incarcerated parents in the United States. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 4: 473–93.
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Dallaire, D. H., Shlafer, R. J., Goshin, L. S., Hollihan, A., Poehlmann-Tynan, J., Eddy, J. M., and Adalist-Estrin, A. (2021) COVID-19 and prison policies related to communication with family members. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 27(2): 231–41.
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Duwe, G. and McNeeley, S. (2021) Just as good as the real thing? The effects of prison video visitation on recidivism. Crime & Delinquency, 67(4): 475–97.
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Kukorowski, D., Wagner, P., and Sakala, L. (2013) Please deposit all of your money: kickbacks, rates, and hidden fees in the jail phone industry. Prison Policy Initiative. Available from: https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/please-deposit-all-your-money-kickbacks-rates-and-hidden-fees-jail
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Murdoch, D. J. and King, L. L. (2020) ‘Not feeling like a caged animal’: prisoner perceptions of a remote video visitation system. Journal of Crime and Justice, 43(2): 212–27.
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Shlafer, R. J., Davis, L., Hindt, L., Weymouth, L., Cuthrell, H., Burnson, C., and Poehlmann-Tynan, J. (2020) Fathers in jail and their minor children: paternal characteristics and associations with father-child contact. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29: 791–801.
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Turner, J., Rosenblat, M. O., Guruli, N., Flores, C., Desch, S., El Tayeb, K. et al (2022) Captive Labor: Exploitation of Incarcerated Workers. Available from: https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=ghrc
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Wessler, M. (2023) SMH: E-Messaging in Prison. Prison Policy Initiative. Available from: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/emessaging.html
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Wildeman, C., Comfort, M., Enns, P., Goldman, A., Fitzpatrick, M., Lee, H. et al (2018) Every Second: The Impact of the Incarceration Crisis on America’s Families. Available from: https://everysecond.fwd.us/downloads/everysecond.fwd.us.pdf
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